Finger tip moistener for baseball pitchers



March 16, 1948. M. H. CHAPMAN, JR

FINGER TIP MOISTENER FOR BASEBALL PITCHERS Filed May 1, 1946 INVEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 16, 1948 STATE rear OFFICE FIN-GER TIP MOISTENER FOR BASEBALL PITCHE-RS Claims.

My invention relates to baseball and specifically comprises a finger tip moistener for a base ball pitcher. So far as I am aware such a device is entirely new in baseball.

The advantage of wetting a surface of a baseball with saliva has been known for years and has been called in the art a spit ball, but in play the pitcher often so wets the ball that .his accuracy of control was so small that even the pitcher could never know what direction the spit ball might take and hence its use has been barred by the major leagues due to the great number of accidents it caused. On the other hand, a ball gets dry, the surface of the leather is relatively hard and it is hard for the pitcher to get a firm grip on the ball. Thus, if the ball is not wetted at all, but if the pitchers'fingers only are slightly moistened by the suitable application of water and excess moisture wiped off on the pitchers uniform, they can grip the baseball more firmly so as to increase rather than decrease the accuracy of the pitch. 7

An object of my invention therefore, is to provide a device which if filled with water can not apply spit or other slippery substance directly to the ball itself, thus making it impossible for the pitcher to pitch a true spit ball and should the umpire question the liquid in the moistener, he can inspect it at all times, while he can hardly inspect at all times what is in the pitchers mouth.

In working out the present invention, in order to provide water or moisture to the pitcher in a manner not to interfere with the pitching, several features of design were necessary: 1) The water container must not interferewith the free movement of the pitcher's arms in pitching when he is apt to go through all types of gyrations. (2) The container must contain enough moi.- ture to last an an inning or more, and (3) the pitcher must be able to moisten a plurality of fin er tips.

The applicant is aware that various types of moisteners have been provided adapted to be mounted on the person of a bank clerk .so that he might keep his fingers wet for sortin papers for a short time.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure which is simple in its construction and operation, light in weight and which is easy to attach, to detach and to refill.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. .1 illustrates a pitcher wearing my irnproved moistener and illustrating how it does not interfere with the usual gyrations of his arms in pitching.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating how the tips of the pitchers fingers on his right hand may be temporarily moistened by bringing his right hand adjacent the moistening member of my improved moistener mounted in vertical position substantially above the pitchers heart.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved moistener.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along th'e line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, 10 generally indicates a finger tip moistener constructed in accordance with my invention.

My improved moistener comprises a casing Ill preferably made in the form of the fiat cylinder shown having a solid rear wall 12, a side wall l4 of such a length .or depth as not to interfere with the free movement of the arms 16 of the reservoir 28 in the bottom of the casing below the opening 22 of substantially large relative size to contain sufficient water 30 therein below said opening 22 to last a full inning or more. I provide a moistening member 132 which may comprise a sponge of sponge rubber or other suitable resilient material preferably of a size'to substantially fill the interior 36 of said container or casing, in the embodiment shown, comprising a sponge rubber disc '32 of a size substantially that of the interior of said cylindrical casing and I provide means to rotatably mount said resilient member 32 on an axis .38 extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing and for this purpose, I provide in the embodiment shown the wooden hub 48 mounted on the axle 42 suitably mounted in bearing holes 44 and 46 in the front wall 26 and the rear wall l2 of said cylindrical casing, the rotatable sponge 32 being provided with a central hole 48 to which the hub 48 may be secured by glue or otherwise. In order to prevent the sponge 32 from coming in contact with the rear wall [2 of the casing I preferably interpose an annular disc 41 of aluminum or other metal between said sponge 32 and rear wall (2 also suitably mounted on said axle 42 separated from said rear wall by a small metal washer 49 of brass or other suitable material. As this disc 41 rotates with sponge 32, it eliminates any possible friction of the rough surface of the sponge against the rear wall I2.

I also provide means to detachably secure my improved moistener to the pitchers clothing in a readily accessible place thereon and for this purpose I provide the lugs 50 projecting diametrically vertically outwardly thereof having means.

to firmly secure said casing to the pitcher's clothing in a vertical position namely with the opening 22 in the upper portion thereof so that in use the water 30 will lie in the reservoir portion 28 below the axis 42 and the sponge 32 may be readily rotated therein by pressure against the resilient member 32 and suflicient relative rotation of the sponge 32 in the reservoir 28 for this purpose by a single finger tip 24 rotating circumferentially in the slot or opening 22 in said front wall for this purpose. In the embodiment shown, I provide a separable fastener element 52 on the rear wall of each lu 50 adapted to cooperate with cooperating separable fastener elements 54 mounted vertically on the players shirt 56 substantially above his heart in the manner shown in Fig. 4. With this separable fastener construction, it is obvious that my improved moistener may be readily attached and detached from the shirt 56 for the purpose of filling it with water when desired between innings, or when not desired in use as when batting. It is obvious, however, that any other suitable type of separable fastener means such as a pin on the rear wall l2 of my improved moistener I0 may be provided in place of the separable means shown.

Thus, in use the pitcher detachably secures my improved moistener to his shirt 56 in the manner described and just prior to pitching each pitch he inserts a plurality of finger tips 24 through the opening 22 against the wetted sponge 32 to lightly moisten the finger tips 24 with water in the manner shown in Fig. 2. He then wipes the excess moisture from his hands on to his uniform and after a little experience finds out how much water it is necessary to wipe off to leave suificient moisture on his finger tips 24 for the best possible grip on the ball for pitching accuracy. He then continues to pitch, wetting his finger tips on the sponge 32 and again wiping them oif to leave the desired moisture on the ball between each pitch. Should from a sense of feel the pitcher realize that he is not gettin enough moisture on his finger tips, signifying that the exposed portion 58 of the sponge 32 is becoming dry, he then inserts one finger tip through the opening 22 and rotates the sponge 32 so as to bring a Wet portion 60 out of the reservoir into alignment with the opening 22.

It is apparent that when through pitching he may readily detach my improved moistener from his shirt.

What I claim is:

l. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a casing having a rear wall having means projecting vertically thereof having means to firmly secure the top and bottom of said casing to the pitchers clothing in a vertical position, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having a wide opening in the upper portion thereof of a width to simultaneously admit a plurality of the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the casing below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material substantially filling said casing and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing.

2. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a casing having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said casing to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front Wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substan tial relative size in the casing below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material in said casing and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing.

3. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a casing having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said casing to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitcher's arms and a front wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the casing below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material in said casing, means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing and a metal plate secured to the rear surface of the resilient member to rotate therewith.

4. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a casing having a rear wall having means projecting vertically thereof having means to firmly secure the top and bottom of said casing to the pitchers clothing in a vertical position, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the casing below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material substantially filling said casing and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing.

5. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a casing having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said casing to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having a wide opening in the upper portion thereof of a width to simultaneously admit a plurality of the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the casing below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material in said casing and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said casing.

6. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a cylinder having a rear wall having means projecting diametrically vertically thereof having means to firmly secure said cylinder to the pitchers clothing in a vertical position, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms-and a front W l a ng a sector shaped substantially semicircular opening in the upper portion thereof of a width to simultaneously admit a plurality of the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the cylinder below said opening, a cylindrical moistening member of resilient material substantially-filling said cylinder and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said cylinder.

7. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a cylinder having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said cylinder to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the cylinder below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material in said cylinder and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said cylinder.

8. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a cylinder having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said cylinder to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the cylinder below said opening, a cylindrical moistening member of resilient material in said cylinder, means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said cylinder and a metal disc secured to the rear surface of the cylindrical resilient member to rotate therewith.

9. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a cylinder having a rear wall having means projecting diametrically vertically thereof having means to firmly secure said cylinder to the pitcher's clothing in a vertical position, a

side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof to admit the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the cylinder below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material substantially filling said cylinder and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said cylinder.

10. A finger tip moistener for a baseball pitcher, comprising a cylinder having a rear wall having means to firmly secure said cylinder to the pitchers clothing, a side wall of such a length as not to interfere with the free movement of the pitchers arms and a front wall having a substantially semi-circular opening i the upper portion thereof of a width to simultaneously admit a plurality of the pitchers finger tips, providing a liquid reservoir of substantial relative size in the cylinder below said opening, a moistening member of resilient material in said cylin-der and means to rotatably mount said resilient member on an axis extending substantially centrally horizontally of said cylinder.

MATTHEW H. CHAPMAN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 939,098 Sauer et al Nov. 2, 1909 1,284,254 Davis Nov. 12, 1918 1,408,201 Hunt Feb. 28, 1922 1,467,040 J erabek et a1. Sept. 4, 1923 1,742,548 Leal Jan. 7, 1930 

